Biography

The world might be in thrall to Scandi pop right now, but look beyond those hovering up the column inches and fame and the Nordic countries – in particular Sweden – have diverse and exciting music scenes with talented artists operating in all manner of genres. Bands like Malmö’s Hater for example. The quartet have quietly built a stellar reputation over the last year or so while flying under the radar and releasing one of 2017’s most underrated albums, the excellent You Tried. But with a number of festival appearances and international dates planned for 2018, they won’t be operating in the shadows for long.

Taking their cues from various 80s touchstones, the band combine dreamy indie-pop and post-punk into something that sounds familiar and yet is all their own. Warm, jangly guitars and shimmering melodies give their songs a comforting glow, like the late afternoon sun, but they’re equally adept at slowing everything down and penning ballads – the album’s title track being a case in point, a gorgeous, glittering number that sound like an instant classic. It’s also the perfect showcase for singer Caroline Landahl’s voice, her airy, detached vocals the perfect anchor for the rest of the band to float around.

It’s deceptively difficult to take so many influences and shape them into something inviting and original, but Hater are on solid ground. Captivating live, they’re pushing ever onwards, proving that rock can be graceful as well as gritty and carving out their own space in which to thrive.